A variety of techniques have been proposed for the removal of catalyst residue from generally organic solvent-insoluble linear alternating polymers of carbon monoxide and at least one ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbons. The presence of the metal moiety from the catalyst (e.g., Pd or Ni renders them incapable of withstanding high temperatures required during certain polymer processing operations without discoloration and/or decomposition from occurring. Examples of such techniques include:
1. treatment of the polymer with a suitable complexing agent such as a triaryl phosphine, trialkyl amine or certain phosphorus, arsenic, antimony or nitrogen compound (see Eur. Pat. Publ. No. 285,218);
2. treatment of the polymer with a triaryl phosphine, trialkyl amine, or metal or ammonium salt of a C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 carboxylic acid complexing agent (see Eur. Pat. Publ. No. 283,092);
3. treatment of the polymers with carbon monoxide at elevated temperature in suspension in an organic media (see Eur. Pat. Publ. No. 224,304);
4. treatment of the polymer with a dithiocarbamate compound in a non-gaseous reaction environment in an oxygenated organic reaction diluent (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,870,156); and
5. treatment of the polymer with a certain bidentate phosphine ligand (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,786,716). Each of the foregoing are incorporated herein by reference for their teaching of synthesis of polyketone materials containing the undesired catalyst residue.